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POLITICO 44

Glenn Beck has no apologies for promoting gold – and no time for the criticism he’s gotten for it.

Liberal media watchdogs, commentators and satirists have had a field day with the increasingly overt – and profitable – synergy between gold retailers and their endorsers in the conservative media, including Beck, Bill O’Reilly and fellow Fox News personalities Brian Kilmeade and Andrew Napolitano, among others. And Fox says it has taken steps that will ensure that its policy of prohibiting product endorsements from anyone on-air is followed.

But Beck recently took to his website to mock critics who questioned whether it was proper for him to tout gold investments as a hedge against an economic collapse he often predicts on the air, while a handful of gold coin retailers pay to advertise on his shows on Fox News and AM radio.

“I have a statement to make about the recent allegations by the liberal blogs that – quote – Glenn Beck promotes gold to audience, while profiting from gold investment firms,” Beck said in 4-minute clip posted on his website Friday evening.

Scrunching his face into a mask of mock puzzlement, he said “the accusations that I actually purchase one of the products I endorse may be shocking to some.” He said he’s turned down or terminated endorsement deals “because I didn’t believe in them” and proclaimed, tongue-firmly-planted-in-check that he’d been trying to keep his arrangement with Goldline a “secret.”

“But I guess it was only a matter of time before people started to catch on, what with the daily advertisements and my firm belief that the dollar is in rough shape and people should protect themselves, and me being on the Internet and the radio and television all the time saying this.”

Beck facetiously said he “didn't know that by me suggesting to you to buy gold through a fine establishment like Goldline.com – 866-Goldline – that the global price of this trillion-dollar industry – global industry – would actually start to wildly fluctuate, because of me.”

Beck endorses Goldline International, but last week, Fox requested that he clarify his relationship with the firm, prompting it to tweak its trumpeting of Beck’s endorsement. Goldline removed an identification of Beck as a “paid spokesman” from its website, but left the rest of the site – which prominently features his endorsement, photo and a radio interview he did with the company’s president Mark Albarian – intact.

Removal of the “paid spokesman” language from Goldline’s site brought his arrangement with the company in line with a network policy prohibiting “on-air talent from endorsing products or serving as a product spokesperson,” according to Joel Cheatwood, a Fox News executive.

Readers' Comments (264)

Beck and O'Reilly hoarding their chests of gold and completely out of touch politically with the American people remind me of the French aristocracy who said the poor could eat cake shortly before the French Revolution where the people whisked the aristrocrats away to the guillotine.

Goldline removed an identification of Beck as a “paid spokesman” from its website, but left the rest of the site – which prominently features his endorsement, photo and a radio interview he did with the company’s president Mark Albarian – intact.

What really is sad is that people are giving away their gold jewelry and bullion to these cash for gold scammers and getting paid BELOW MARKET VALUE. And what are you getting in return? A devalued/devaluing green piece of paper.

LOL, Beck and O'Reilly hawking gold to their gullible audience at a 35% increase. Wow, they sure care about their viewers. I wonder how, if you're buying gold and funding SarahPac, you're going to have money to pay for your ever increasing insurance premiums??? Oh, wait that's right, Beck and O'Reilly's demographics are older, retired people who are on Medicare. Isn't that ironic????

Beck and O'Reilly hoarding their chests of gold and completely out of touch politically with the American people remind me of the French aristocracy who said the poor could eat cake shortly before the French Revolution where the people whisked the aristrocrats away to the guillotine.

You are a funny, funny guy. Seriously, I have been reading your posts the past few days, funny stuff. Thanks for a good laugh. Especially this hilarious bit that I copied from your profile.

About Patrick the Socialist I teach high school English in rural, Western Illinois. My philosophy towards teaching is that public schools are an institution that can counteract the propaganda of the right-wing media and narrowminded parents.

The libs cannot stand the success that Glenn Beck has and that people do not listen to them. Like the silly boycotts they are always trying to start when someone says something they disagree with. Grow up. Nobody care about your whinning. Try running with scissors if you need attention that badly.

Tea partiers are paying their own way, WHAT A JOKE ! ! ! Are you not aware of the facts concerning transportation, 'Citizens for Prosperity' ... .. that whole group is totally un-informed, and what is sad is they don't want to be informed of the facts..what a group..what a hoot lol sad but true lol frightening Tea parties emerge as revenue stream in for their (way smarter than the participants) venders. The profits of these venders are really coming in handy because of the nation's economic downturn because of the vendor's buddy occupying the White House for eight years. This 'buddy' of the vendors has been identified as some kind of simple minded, thorny bush. The species origin of this 'buddy' bush is 'unknown' and doesn't warrant investigation.

What horrific images are appearing! ! ! The really intelligent groups of Palin fans, Beckies, Limbergers, conservacan'ts, republican'ts, Dick Less Armyians, immoral (so called Christian) republian't politicians coming together at a rally to promote their real beliefs. Especially if their noses grew every time they lied. OMG, and they don't have access to plastic surgeons before their next public appearance. Lol. What an eye opener for America that would be. Lol

The day that 'grass roots' meaning is perverted as it is today, is the day that Americans need to wake up and take heed! ! ! Our history of being governed by brawl mentality, hate inspired mentality, business profits first mentality and fooled by perverted grass roots claims is nil, non-existent! ! ! America will not be swayed by dis-information or ruled by mob tactics. When big business spends more than a million dollars a day to protect their unbelievable profits, when tea baggers shout racist slogans, when wing nuts cry foul at an organization trying to get all citizens to participate in the political process, and when their politicians obstruct our system from working! ! ! Let us see when the dust clears, who has 'do the right thing' more prevalent in their ideals, and let's see who is ruled by mob tactics.

The conservative movement is one inspired by hate, discontent, and confusion of the facts. It is no wonder, the cause of their confusion. If I listened to faux news for all of my decision making information, I would look quite foolish. If I decided to use all information available to come to an educated decision, I would , more than likely, make a good decision. If I used hate and discontent (my mind is already made up)to rule my investigation, I would look foolish. I have to have opinions, but cannot let my opinions become strong until I have sought all information concerning my opinion to develop an educated backed opinion or I would look foolish. The conservatives and republicans look foolish, they act foolish and their tea baggers, wing nuts followers share those same traits.

Let's review the facts. We are 14 TRILLION DOLLARS IN DEBT. We owe over 300 TRILLION in unfunded liability and you folks are squawking about gold!? Seriously? Do these numbers even remotely scare the living **** out of you or have you lost your soul to whatever dream you have concocted in your head. The debt collectors are knocking at our door and my question to you is, how the hell are we going to pay this mess off!?

The dollar is almost obsolete, relative to where it was ten years ago. I would like to thank Beck and O'reilly for making Americans aware of this, although I can't imagine how one could not be aware of this fact.

Let's review the facts. We are 14 TRILLION DOLLARS IN DEBT. We owe over 300 TRILLION in unfunded liability and you folks are squawking about gold!? Seriously? Do these numbers even remotely scare the living **** out of you or have you lost your soul to whatever dream you have concocted in your head. The debt collectors are knocking at our door and my question to you is, how the hell are we going to pay this mess off!?

The interesting thing is, in spring of 2008 when the Bush Admin issued all those tax rebates to so many middle class tax payers, the liberals I talked to were screaming "Bush is just printing money and increasing the deficit!" Funny how we don't hear that from the liberals anymore. What I hear from liberals is "if a republican prints money, it's wrong, and if Obama prints money, then we are all racists for criticizing him". The hypocrisy of the left is astounding!

ONe thing I find amusing but not surprising, is how many moderate dems I know that are now watching Glenn Beck. You know the left, free speech only applies to people that agree with THEIR ideas. Unfortunately for the left, the rest of America doesn't agree with them.

OBama has definitely proved himself to be "not up for the job". He's already lost the twinkle in his eye when he speaks. Now the unsuspecting gullable Americans who voted for the empty suit, are seeing or will see soon, the fraud that he and the democratic party really are. For the record, all of congress is a bunch of frauds. They (dems & repubs) purposely pit regular Americans against each other so they can continue to live a lavish lifestyle on our dime. It's very sickening.

Let's review the facts. We are 14 TRILLION DOLLARS IN DEBT. We owe over 300 TRILLION in unfunded liability and you folks are squawking about gold!? Seriously? Do these numbers even remotely scare the living **** out of you or have you lost your soul to whatever dream you have concocted in your head. The debt collectors are knocking at our door and my question to you is, how the hell are we going to pay this mess off!?

It would be interesting to know when you started watching the deficit.

You post as if this problem just started. It is interesting watching the keen sense of awareness that Republicans, Conservatives and Tea Baggers now have over where the country is headed. It is also interesting to note that in none of the previously mentioned groups' rants on the Internet and elsewhere do they note the fact that "ALL" of the increase in spending that we have seen within the last year has been to correct what was done incorrectly in the last 8 years.

The interesting thing is, in spring of 2008 when the Bush Admin issued all those tax rebates to so many middle class tax payers, the liberals I talked to were screaming "Bush is just printing money and increasing the deficit!" Funny how we don't hear that from the liberals anymore. What I hear from liberals is "if a republican prints money, it's wrong, and if Obama prints money, then we are all racists for criticizing him". The hypocrisy of the left is astounding!

Wrong! Bush printed money and spent it like a drucken sailor. Obama is spending money to clean the mess after his party! The two can not be compared!